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Coventry City manager Mark Robins will look to bounce back after an opening day defeat to Bristol City as his side prepare to face Queens Park Rangers tonight.

After a respectable performance in their opening day fixture at Ashton Gate, the Sky Blues will have their first home Championship fixture at St. Andrews this season with the visit of QPR.

Having changed his entire starting XI for the midweek Carabao Cup clash at Gillingham, Robins is set to restore a starting line-up much more alike the one which faced Bristol City.

In between the sticks, Marko Marosi will return but there is growing concern over alternatives for the 26-year-old, whilst Leo Ostigard, Kyle McFadzean and Dominic Hyam are expected to play as a back three, just as they did at Ashton Gate.

Ryan Giles and Josh Pask played wing-back against Bristol City in a familiar 3-5-2 formation and neither are expected to lose their place for the visit of QPR.

Jamie Allen will continue in midfield with Gustavo Hamer, but summer signing Ben Sheaf could come in to replace Liam Kelly, who has a hamstring problem, and provide some more cover in the centre of the park.

Callum O’Hare will returns as he plays just off lone striker Matty Godden, with the predicted XI showing just the one change from the team that lost to Bristol City.

Do you think Coventry can beat QPR and do you agree with our starting eleven? Let us know in the comments section below…

Brighton allowed Leon Balogun to leave for Rangers on a free transfer this summer but they are hoping to sign a namesake in the current transfer window.

The Beautiful Game Podcast tweeted that the Seagulls are among several clubs interested in Arsenal youngster Folarin Balogun, who is also wanted by the likes of Southampton, AC Milan, AZ Alkmaar, Roma and Eintracht Frankfurt.

As per Sky Sports, the 19-year-old has refused to sign a new contract at the Emirates Stadium, where his current deal expires next year, with the Gunners demanding at least £8m for the teenager.

Balogun has never played a senior game for Arsenal and does not want to sign a new deal in north London unless he can be given assurances of a pathway into the first team.

While his demands may seem like arrogance from a young player with plenty still to prove, his case is helped by a sensational scoring record at underage level for the Gunners. He has played 70 matches between their under-18 and under-23 sides and plundered a magnificent total of 50 goals.

He struck 25 times in 19 games in the Under-18 Premier League the season before last and readily adapted to the under-23 grade last term, hitting 10 goals in 15 matches in Premier League 2.

Balogun’s promise is apparent from a Daily Mail scout report which said that there are “shades of Thierry Henry” to his style of play, while Arsenal’s 2019/20 top scorer Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has taken to Twitter in the past to express his admiration for the teenager’s talents.

Brighton will have to fend off some very strong competition if they want to sign Balogun, with AZ Alkmaar competing in the Champions League and Milan, PSV and Roma all in the Europea League, while £8m seems a real gamble on a player with no experience of first team football.

However, Graham Potter is not slow to give youth its flings if he feels it is warranted. Aaron Connolly memorably scored twice in his first Premier League start last year and featured regularly throughout the season, while Tariq Lamptey – hailed as “outstanding” by the manager – carved out a place in the first team towards the end of 2019/20.

Balogun’s goal record at underage level and comparisons with Henry illustrates the enormity of his potential, while Potter could be the ideal manager to extract the best from him based on the successes of Connolly and Lamptey.

Brighton fans, how good a coup would Balogun be if the Seagulls can sign him? Have your say by commenting below!

Everton have multiple positions that need strengthening this summer and whilst the right-back spot isn’t going to be a priority, they should absolutely take a look at Alessandro Florenzi…

What’s the word?

According to Gianluca Di Marzio, the Toffees are eyeing a move for the versatile Roma star following his loan spell at Valencia but they face competition from fellow Italian side Atalanta.

It very much appears as if Carlo Ancelotti is prepared to dip into his old league to bolster the struggling Merseysiders.

Everton have reportedly rejected the chance to sign loanee Djibril Sidibe on a permanent €15m (£13.5m) deal this summer, so there could be a need for some competition alongside Seamus Coleman.

Forget Sidibe

And that’s exactly what Florenzi could provide at Goodison Park and not just that, his versatility would be a nice attribute to have as he’s able to play further up the pitch on the wings and even through the middle.

Across both Roma and Valencia this season, the 29-year-old averaged 1.3 clearances, 1.1 interceptions, 1 tackle and 2.9 long balls per game, via WhoScored.

Inter Milan legend Javier Zanetti once tipped the Italian to become his heir as one of the Serie A’s greatest full-backs, labelling him a “key player” for Roma whilst Dani Alves, another legend in the same position, described Florenzi as “a fantastic player” who has got “quality in abundance and a wonderful touch.”

He’d also bring international experience having been capped 35 times as well as knowledge in the European competitions after notching 42 appearances across the Champions and Europa League.

It remains to be seen how much Florenzi would cost the Toffees, but with him approaching 30 and being valued at just £14.4m by Transfermarkt, he could be quite the steal.

AND in other news, Everton must re-sign former academy grad this summer…

Liverpool have been tipped to land a winger who absolutely tore them apart earlier in the season and it could hint that the club is preparing for life without Mo Salah.

What’s the word?

iNews claim that Watford sensation Ismaila Sarr could find himself at Anfield this summer as Jurgen Klopp eyes him as an understudy to his Senegalese compatriot Sadio Mane.

It comes less than a week after links first emerged mooting the 22-year-old with a switch to Merseyside.

The Hornets were relegated on the final day of the 2019/20 Premier League season and having cost the club £30m in the summer, Sarr could be one of several players on the chopping block not at least due to his impressive form for the Championship newcomers.

Salah successor

Sarr has often been likened to Mane which is no surprise given the pair’s nationality, position and playing style but the Watford man actually plays on the other flank to the Reds’ superstar.

He’d be an interesting heir to Mo Salah’s throne, especially with the 23-goal talisman constantly linked with La Liga giants Real Madrid.

And, of course, those at Anfield know Sarr all too well after he tore Klopp’s defence apart for their first defeat of the season back in February.

The enigmatic winger netted two goals and provided one assist as Watford romped to a 3-0 victory – he also recorded two successful dribbles, one key pass, won five duels and notched a whopping six shots, via SofaScore.

Sarr ran Andy Robertson rugged forcing the Scotsman to lose possession 22 times whilst he couldn’t manage a single tackle and won just one duel.

Mane waxed lyrical about his Senegal teammate ahead of his move to the Hornets whilst Sky Sports’ Gary Neville labelled Sarr “a big, big talent.”

“He’s rapid. I think defenders will struggle,” Mane told The Athletic.“Last time I was speaking to Robbo (Andy Robertson) I said, ‘Watford have a really good player. I will need to help you more otherwise Ismaila Sarr will kill you, because he is a good dribbler and very, very fast.”

It remains to be seen how much he might cost, but Klopp could do no wrong in adding Sarr to his attacking armoury.

AND in other news, Liverpool eyeing £55m raid for Steven Gerrard-like midfielder…

After 126 games at the club, Jozo Simunovic’s spell at Celtic has come to an end.

The Croatian signed for the Bhoys from Dinamo Zagreb back in the summer of 2015, coming in as an immediate replacement for Virgil van Dijk, who had just left for Southampton.

But after the Scottish champions decided not to take up the option of a further year on the defender’s contract, Neil Lennon paid tribute to both him and Jonny Hayes, who was also released.

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He said: “Both leave Celtic as nine-in-a-row champions. It’s an achievement they richly deserve and something I know they will cherish dearly. I would like to sincerely thank both Jozo and Jonny, brilliant lads who have given their all to Celtic over a number of years.”

After Simunovic’s exit from the club was confirmed, Celtic fans took to Twitter to share their thoughts on the centre-back.

A couple of fans suggested that Simunovic made far too many mistakes, and that it was “long overdue” to be getting rid of him.

One Celtic fan however took a much more pessimistic stance. and claimed that this is a decision they may regret in the future.

This season saw Simunovic play just 16 times across all competitions for the Hoops, with injuries once again takings its toll on the 25-year-old.

How’s your Celtic knowledge? Always been a loyal fan? Well can you spot Stilian Petrov from John Hartson? Give it a go if you’re brave enough …

World Class score: 95% | Expert score: 80% | Veteran score: 65% | Intermediate score: 45% | Amateur score: 30% | Try Again: 5%

According to Transfermarkt, he has missed a massive 110 games due to injury since arriving at Celtic Park, so it’s no surprise that some Celtic fans don’t seem overly bothered by his departure.

Tottenham Hotspur are ready to challenge AC Milan in the hunt for Real Betis striker Loren Moron, according to Todo Fichajes. 

Although the Spanish outlet claims that negotiations with Milan are ‘well advanced’, Spurs are confident that they can hijack the talks.

Jose Mourinho is keen to bring in a back-up for Harry Kane who can also provide the England international with some healthy competition and the Portuguese has been keeping tabs on Moron as the transfer market approaches.

Tottenham are prepared to make an offer that they think will change the mind of Big Greens’ chairman Angel Haro.

Moron initially joined Betis B from Marbella FC as a free agent before breaking into their senior ranks in 2018 and it is fair to say he hasn’t looked back since. The 26-year-old has scored nine goals in 26 games in La Liga for Rubi’s side this season, supplying two assists and taking 1.6 shots per game via WhoScored.

The report added that Betis will demand €25m (which equates to £22m) for the Spaniard. Moreover, this is a substantial drop from their original asking price, after Diario AS previously suggested Betis were looking for €40m (£35.85m) for the forward earlier this year.

Kane has only just recovered from a hamstring injury and Moron is perhaps the support that Mourinho is seeking to reduce the burden on the Spurs talisman. Indeed, the centre-forward is unafraid of making tackles and he likes to play short passes, which could provide the Spurs head coach with the choice of playing him alongside the club captain or bringing him on from the bench.

However, it remains to be seen if Daniel Levy will splash the cash to sign the Spanish striker in the summer, in light of the economic uncertainty surrounding the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Nonetheless, he is definitely one to watch as the Lilywhites have been repeatedly linked to him in recent months.

Tottenham fans, do you think the board should sign Loren Moron? Join the discussion in the comments section below!

Leeds United could go up as champions should a ball not be kicked again this season after the EFL delivered a fresh proposal to its member clubs.

The board announced that it would use an unweighted points-per-game system to decide the final standings in the Championship but only if they look to follow the decisions from League One and League Two.

It will need at least 51% of teams to agree to such a decision and as a result, both the Whites and their nearest challengers West Bromwich Albion will gain promotion to the Premier League.

The Athletic’s Phil Hay delivered his thoughts on the matter to Twitter and plenty of supporters have flocked to his tweet with some reaction.

Hay claims the news is ‘obviously very good’ for the west Yorkshire outfit but they would still ultimately need the top-flight to agree to relegation this campaign.

Marcelo Bielsa’s side currently sit top of the league with a seven-point advantage to the playoff zone.

A true test for any Leeds fan: Can you match these iconic images with the right results?

Some supporters believe they’ll be going up whilst others understandably have their doubts, even going as far as claiming that the EFL would try and screw them over. Leeds received a 15-point deduction back in 2007/08 and that clearly has left a lasting effect on the Whites faithful.

Here’s how fans have responded to Hay…

AND in other news, Leeds fans really would HATE to see 29 y/o back at Elland Road…

One of the stars of Ajax’s run to the Champions League semi-finals last season, Hakim Ziyech has continued to shine for the Dutch side.The Morocco international managed an impressive 21 goals and 24 assists across all competitions last season, but did not join his former teammates in Matthijs de Ligt and Frenkie de Jong in making high-profile moves away.Ziyech was linked with a move to Arsenal previously, but it was then revealed that the Gunners had apparently turned down the opportunity to sign him and had moved on to other targets.On Wednesday night in the Champions League against Lille, the attacker produced the kind of display that had Arsenal fans on Twitter purring in awe. The 26-year-old scored one and made one as he helped his team to a fine 2-0 victory away from home.[ad_pod ]After seeing his display, Gunners fans revealed their frustrations at missing out on Ziyech, with one fan in particular labelling their decision to go after Nicolas Pepe as “terrible decision-making”.Check out some of the reaction of Arsenal fans below:

Meanwhile, Arsenal fans are fuming with reports linking them with Wolves manager Nuno Espirito Santo.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Loan Watch series, which takes a closer look at those players who are aiming to galvanise their careers away from the spotlight of their parent club.

Although Aston Villa’s transfer business saw the club shell out over £130m on 12 new players, Dean Smith is likely to be keeping tabs on a number of loanees who could return to the newly-promoted side’s ranks in their bid to consolidate the club’s Premier League status.

The likes of Scott Hogan and Andre Green are spending their seasons away from Villa Park with Stoke City and Preston North End respectively, but one loanee who is plying their trade in League One is Rushian Hepburn-Murphy with Tranmere Rovers.

The Villa youth product, who has been capped with England from U16 to U20, has made 11 appearances for Rovers in the 2019/20 campaign, scoring three goals in what was an initially tough spell when he was red-carded on debut.

Micky Mellon’s side currently sit 18th but have scored the joint-most goals of any side in the bottom-13 within the division.

The forward’s most memorable display came against MK Dons, where he netted a hat-trick in a 3-1 victory this month, showing signs that he’s beginning to impress. He has also recorded an impressive record of 0.8 dribbles per game and 0.9 shots per match despite only starting three times.

The 21-year-old forward had spent time on loan at Cambridge United in League Two during the previous campaign, but the Villa hierarchy will be hoping that stepping up a division can provide a basis for development and increase the likelihood of Hepburn-Murphy returning to Vila Park and featuring in Smith’s first-team squad.

With the likes of Keinan Davis vying for a first-team place, the conclusion of the 2019/20 campaign could mark the perfect opportunity for Smith and his coaching staff to assess the forward’s credentials in comparison to other youthful prospects

A potential return to Villa Park could be a distinct possibility if Hepburn-Murphy can continue his promising rate of development at Prenton Park.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

Darren Bent has praised Jonjo Shelvey but stated that he needs to be giving more to the team if Newcastle are to progress.

What did he say?

Steve Bruce has had tricky decisions to make in relation to his midfield in recent weeks, with the Longstaff brothers both playing well in the absence of more senior players such as Isaac Hayden and Jonjo Shelvey.

However, with those two becoming available at the time Sean Longstaff got suspended, Bruce decided to recall Shelvey to the side, and the former Swansea man has already repaid that decision.

His inclusion in the previous two matches means Matty Longstaff has had to settle for a place on the bench after an impressive start to his Premier League career, a topic Bent also touched on.

Speaking to Football Insider, he said: “It was harsh but it showed it was the right decision. He [Shelvey] scored a great free-kick [against West Ham].

“I do like Shelvey, I think he’s a good player. I do think he needs to be giving more to the cause and maybe realise he’s not at Liverpool any more, he’s not playing with these so-called better players any more so he does need to put a shift in.

“It’s going to be tough at times but at the same time he needs to show them he’s willing to fight for the cause. It’s not always as simple as playing with good players, but he showed his quality and he has got a lot of quality.”

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Finding a balance

With each of his central midfielders seemingly in good form it may be difficult for the Longstaff brothers to get a look-in.

Shelvey has proved that he is the better option than Sean Longstaff to play the passing role next to Hayden, and if he takes on board Bent’s advice then he will only increase his value to Bruce.

Despite the claims of the former England international, the Magpies seem to be doing well with the 27-year-old in the side, having won two from two since his return.

Bruce’s organisation of his team makes up for a lack of quality or a lack of effort at times, and with Hayden conducting the dirty work it frees up Shelvey to do what he’s best at.

It seems to be a winning formula currently and with the Longstaff brothers knocking on the door, the senior players will be well aware of the fact that they need to meet their manager’s standards, or they risk being dropped.